KS5 Sociology Roadmaps

Having previously posted a range of KS4 (GCSE) Sociology Roadmaps I thought it only right and proper to follow this with a selection of KS5 (A-level) Roadmaps. Which, if you’ll excuse the self-aggrandisement, has been no small mean feat given that:

1. Until a couple of days ago I actually had no-idea such a thing as a Sociology Roadmap (or “Journey” as some prefer) even existed, let alone that teachers were creating them in such numbers.

2. I was looking for examples of something else (Curriculum Maps, since you wanted to ask) that turned out to be very much not what I was expecting. As I’m sure you realise, I’ve just teased a wider story there that I may or may not bother to pursue.

Anyway, back to the point at hand.

Like their GCSE counterparts, these Roadmaps are a bit of a mixed bag. Not in terms of Exam Board – for some reason the vast majority are for the AQA Specification – but content and what different schools / teachers consider relevant and irrelevant in terms of what should be included.

Although I’m of the firm opinion that Roadmaps are, in principle, A Good Thing – a big, bright, colourful visual representation of the A-level journey can’t hurt and is arguably preferable to the Old School practice of a quick syllabus run-through at the start of a course when everything’s too new and daunting for anyone to really pay much attention – those I’ve found seem to confirm there’s no real consensus about what should be included outside of broadly indicating the topics students will be studying over a two-year course.

Personally, I’m not convinced this necessarily matters because a visual representation of a student’s “Sociological Journey” probably doesn’t have to do much more than provide a broad overview of what they’re going to be studying over the next two years.

And while it’s unlikely anyone’s going to come-up with any hard evidence for-or-against their general utility as a classroom tool, their one big potential drawback as far as You – yes You – are concerned is that you’re going to have to create one from scratch once someone brings them to the attention of Senior Management.

Because you know, probably from bitter experience, how much Senior Managers love something New and Shiny that promises to magically transform your school or college’s “always less than should be expected” exam results. As you also know, partly because you’re a sociologist and partly because you’re a sentient being, there’s no point trying to argue that the latest example of educational magic they found “while browsing the Internet” won’t bring about such a transformation.

It will.

And it will be your fault for not practicing the magic correctly when it doesn’t.

So, to save a lot of time, trouble and tantrums (allegedly) I’ve brought together a selection (but only, as I’ve noted, for AQA. I’ve only found a couple that are not for this Spec. Don’t ask me why.) of Sociology Roadmaps you might find useful or, if you’re Really Keen, inspirational. In which case I’d redirect you to the blank(ish) PowerPoint templates I’ve previously posted.